We're A Team
by avatarlemon
Summary: Naruto, Sai, and Hinata are three orphans who decided to run away. Now the team of 5 year olds have to face the shonobi world head on. What could go wrong? Prologue inside. Adventure, Humor, Drama, Angst. Shipping later.
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

**~Prologue~**

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Naruto Uzamaki, 4 years old, sat in the corner of the Konohagakure orphanage, crying. All of the other children had evacuated, as for it was 3:00 am October 10th, and the bad people were coming. Naruto knew what was going to happen, and part of him hoped he would die this time, just so he didn't have to suffer here anymore. But the 4 year old side of him was terrified, and yerned for someone, anyone.

The blonde boy laid down thinking about what the other kids were doing now. Hinata, and Sai, his only two 'friends' were who he was thinking about the most. He had hoped Mrs. Nanny (as she had instructed to be called) had taken them two to safety at least. Hinata was his first friend at the orphanage, though she wasn't an orphan. She had told him her daddy was still alive and well, so neither of them understood why she was there. Naruto had assumed himself and the bluette to be friends, considering she was the only one that talked to him and vice versa. Well at least until Sai had came along. Naruto met Sai when he and Hinata were 3, the other boy being 4. Mrs. Nanny was mean to him like she was to the other two, so they had already found something in common.

I guess you could say the three were a team. They were thought as freaks for how silent and timid they were. Even Naruto, despite his cheeky nature, had been broke to only speak when spoken to and keep calm and quite. Hinata had not had this forced on her, but simply followed suite, seeing Naruto's punishments when he accidently let his true colors slip through. Sai on the other hand was always quiet and his only words were odd facts or out of place comments.

Right now, Naruto yerned for one of his friends odd comments and wished the girl were there to poke her fingers together. But they weren't. Or at least that's what he thought.

"N-Naruto?" Naruto nearly shit himself when he heard the bluette's voice squeak out his name.

"Hinata-chan?!" he shouted, looking around for the girl.

"We are over here, Naruto." Sai said calmly stepping around the corner with Hinata close behind him.

"Wut is ya guys doing here?! You suld be wif Mrs. Nonae!" Naruto shouted out. Despite turning 5 today, the boy still spoke like a baby due to his lack of education or proper care.

"We were left behind as were you." Sai said clearly. "I believe Mrs. Nany dislikes us as well, which I approve of, because I too dislike her."

"Tu gots ta get out o here! Da bad guys awe gonna come!" Naruto shouted, not wanting his only friends to go through what he had to go through.

"Naruto," Sai said patiently "Please remember what we talked about with your speech."

"Im sowwy, Sai-san." Naruto mumbled putting his head down. He really did try with his speech, he would still be too afraid to talk had it not been for his older friend who had taught him how to speak in a way that was even slightly understandable.

"Hinata-chan had an idea. Though I'm not sure how I feel about it" Sai said staring at the girl with his onyx eyes, signaling for her to speak.

"I-I uh well I t-thought we we could r-run away." She said refusing to look into anyones eyes.

"Run away?" Naruto asked trying to take in what she was saying.

"uh huh." Hinata nodded.

"I believe what she is insisting is that we leave the orphanage and try to live on our own. When I lived with old master, we fended for ourselves. Maybe we could even find a master to care for us." He said having a brief flashback.

"You mean parents?" Hinata asked with wide and curious eyes.

"I do think I read somewhere that they are called 'parents'." Sai said still trying to recall where the previous images in his head had come from- and where they had gone.

"But Mrs. Nanni said dat no one wunts ush, so wut if we cant find pawents?" Naruto asked, still contemplating the idea.

"Then I suppose we will care for ourselves." Sai said with a shrug.

"I in!" Naruto squealed.

"Me too!" Hinata agreed.

"As am I!" Sai, for once shouted.

"Lets get out of hwere!" Naruto said and took their hands, running out of orphanage full speed into the dead of the night.

The smiles on all of their faces were the first sign of their true selves that they had shown in quite awhile, and heck Sai's smile might've even been real.

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**Yay! Prologue done! I would like to thank you for reading and I hope to have chapter 1 up soon if anyone actually reads this haha! And sorry if its a bit rushed.**

**Things differtent so far: Hinata's dad left her at an orphanage (lets say she was around 2)**

**Danzo got taken down and all of the root opperatives were taken to orphanages**

**Naruto is a bit nervous to be himself and can barely talk (this will go away quickly, promise).**

**Anyways, thanks again for reading, and please review!**


	2. Chapter 2: Getting Money

_One of the luckiest things that can happen to you in life is, I think, to have a happy childhood._

_~Agatha Christie_

"W-where are we?" Hinata asked about 3 minutes after the three had stopped their aimless running.

Naruto shrugged.

"It appears we are near town square, see the lights there?" Sai pointed out, shocked by his friends lack of observation skills.

"Wewl I is hungry." Naruto said smiling wide, and running straight for the center of the town.

"AM!" Sai shouted running behind him, and correcting his grammar.

Hinata just smiled and took after her two friends.

**~O~O~**

"Wooah." Naruto oohed from the center of town square.

The three children looked around in awe at all of the lights and festivities of the night. Normally at this time, most of the shop owners would be tucked away as would citizens and only shinobi would be present, but tonight was a special night. Tonight was when people mourned their losses and celebrated the lives of those spared. Tonight was konoha's annual tailed beast festival. This was the festivals fifth year, and as morning was drawing closer, the drunks were once again leaving looking for the damned child.

"What if Mrs. Nany sees us?!" Hinata squealed in sudden realization that they were infact runaways in a very open space.

"You are right, we need to blend in." Sai said blankly.

"Wook!" Naruto shouted pointing to a wall of masks for sale.

"Great idea, Naruto. Let me handle the money, you stay close." The boy said and ventured into the crowd.

Ignorant to the immoral deed he was doing, Sai carefully slipped his small hands into the pockets of passerbys, stealing out the contents. Naruto saw what was being done and took a crack at it himself, but decided to let Sai do the work when the villager started looking around frantically.

"Here we go." Sai said standing next to one of the venders with 6 wallets shoved all over him. "Follow me." He declared pulling the two away gently when he saw the looks the merchant was giving him.

"Wook at all dis money!" Naruto exclaimed, examining the wallet that he had gotten.

"Naruto," Sai deadpanned "That's two dollars. That's enough to buy a drink." Naruto frowned.

Sai laid out all of the wallets, dumping their contents one by one, separating the money from everything else. Slowly, he counted all of the money.

"I have calculated about one hundred dollars." Sai said staring at the pile of bills infront of them "Not counting change." He said directing his look to the pile of coins.

"Sai?" Hinata spoked "How did you learn all of that?" She asked softly, but without stutter.

"Learn what?" He asked, making a seemingly confused expression.

"To take and count money?" Hinata questioned again, Mrs. Nanny always told them stealing was wrong.

"I'm not completely sure. I believe it was my old master though. I remember doing this exact thing everywhere I went before I was sent to the orphanage." He said once again confused by the images in his mind.

"Isn't it wrong?" She asked concerned.

"I don't see why." Sai said looking at the loot again.

"W-well in t-that case, here." Hinata said pulling 4 more wallets out of her oversized tan coat.

"Woah! How ya do dat Hinata-cham?!" Naruto, who had been his now usually quiet self shouted.

"Chan." Sai corrected counting the new money.

"I-I don't know... I j-just watched Sai-san and tried it. B-but I took f-from the people who looked w-wealthier." She said, not sure if she should be proud of herself of ashamed.

"That you did, Hinata." Sai said informatively. "There's about two hundred and fifty dollars here total now." He said nodding to the pile of money.

Naruto's eyes widened, but he remained silent.

"Naruto, you don't have to keep that quiet anymore, Nanny wont hurt you. We can all be ourselves now." Sai said towards the ground.

"Hey dats white! Ya-Ba-DABA DO!" Naruto shouted _very _loudly and started to run around.

"Naruto! We aint trying to be caught right now!" Hinata hissed to everybody's surprise.

Naruto frowned, but nonetheless sat down.

"We need a plan." Sai said and went on when no one protested "Each of us will keep some money incase we are caught. 100 for me, 100 for Hinata, and 50 for Naruto." He said distrubiting the money.

Naruto frowned. "Why does I only get 50?" He demanded.

"Because your the least responsible." Sai said honestly, ignoring Naruto's childish pouting. "If for any reason we get split up, or someone gets lost, we meet here." He pulled a few clumps of grass out of the ground.

The other two nodded once again.

"Ok, lets go." He said flatly standing up and wiping the dirt from his pants. The other two followed, not sure exactly why they were rubbing their pants.

The three inconspicuously slipped back into the flow of people and scurried to the vender selling masks.

"Three painted masks, please." Sai said, flashing one of his 'cute' fake smiles.

"Here ya go lil man." The vender said setting the three masks on the table. Sai handed him the money. "A lil bit young to be here alone you three, huh?" the man asked while getting the change for Sai.

Sai just shrugged and said "Thankyou ma'am." Before grabbing the masks and walking away, not noticing the fuming _male _merchant.

"Uh, Sai, wasn't dat a man?" Narutro asked chuckling slightly for the first time in what seemed like forever.

"Be it a man or a woman, ma'am seemed more fitting." He said slipping the wooden mask on his face the other two chuckled then did the same.

The trio walked around looking about curiously through the small eye hole in their masks. But their eyes weren't the only things tuned to everything around them. They all picked up on some interesting language.

"Where do you want to eat, aho?" Sai asked Naurto, trying out the new word for the first time.

"Ramen!" Naruto exclaimed recalling the amazing food that he had tasted once in his short life, the thought of it excited him so much he didn't care to ask the meaning of what he's just been called.

"What about you, Hinata-chan?" Sai inquired stepping foreward a bit to look at the girl standing on the opposite side of Naruto.

"I-it doesn't matter to m-me. But I would like some c-cinnamon buns... I-if we could..." She said smiling to herself at the thought of the sweet.

"Well I would enjoy some momen-dōfu." Sai said thoughtfully. "We will get Naruto's dish first, then yours, Hinata, then I would like to look for some tofu." he said his eyes filled with true emotion for his favorite food dish.

"Dattebayo!" Naruto cheered. Sai and Hinata faced each other, doing what could only be assumed to be aconfused glance, wondering where the word had came from, but nonetheless shrugged it off.

"Dattebayo." Sai repeated silently, a genuine smile hidden under his mask.

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**Okay, end of chapter one! How do you guys like it? I probably wont be updating this often in the future.**

**More things to point out:**

**-Sai is super smart and resourceful from being in root**

**-but not the same as he was in the anime for he was only in it from age 2-4 in my story**

**-I don't like them being this young but I have my reasons**

**-they are all decently smart for their age**

**Nothing else I can think of right now, but if you have any ideas you would like to see in this story, please feel free to share them! And thanks for the review, favorites, follows and reads!**


	3. Chapter 3: A Man Named Iruka

It wasn't long before Naruto seen a ramen bar and was running full speed for it, the other two close on his trail.

Naruto and friends plopped down into the stools, one could assume easily beneath the masks they were red faced and panting. Naruto pulled off the horse face mask and looked around the yellowish stand seeing the cook and a young girl standing behind the counter. The girl glanced over seeing the two and approached them with a smile.

"Hey there guys." The girl, appearing about 18, said warmly.

"Hi!" Naruto said with a grin "You sell ramen, right?" He asked getting straight to the point.

"Sure do." She said smiling.

"Can I have three bowls of beef ramen?" He asked with a wide smile.

"Sure thing, anything else for you three, this will be the last order of the night." She said.

"Does that mean the other places will be soon to close too?" Hinata asked with a small frown under her wolf mask.

"You bet." The girl informed them with a warm smile, unlike Mrs. Nanny, she wasn't impatient or mean.

"Oh." Hinata frowned.

"It is ok, Hinata-chan, we will get your treat tomorrow morning." Sai reassured her.

She replied with a soft ok.

Sai remembered the question they had been asked and switched his attention back to the waitress. "I;m sorry for my lack of focus." he appologized "I would like a bowl of miso ramen." He said, removing the spider mask he was wearing.

"Not a problem." She said noting his order. "And you, young lady."

"I-I'll have a bowl of beef ramen, p-please." She requested.

"You got it, I'll have my old man start that right now." She said with a smile and turned to the kitchen.

"I sowwy you guys aint gunna get yout food tonight." Naruto said with a frown.

"N-Naruto-kun, please, y-you don't need to apologize." Hinata informed him removing her wolf mask.

"I do agree with Hinata-chan, it is no problem, I myself do not mind ramen. But I do wish you would try harder with your speech." Sai said too removing his mask.

"I am surry." Naruto said more clearly than before.

"Close enough." Sai decided, absent mindedly tracing the elaborate spider web etched into his mask.

The three were left to their own thoughts in a semi-comfortable silence- minus the sound of the food simmering.

That was until they were joined by another customer. And genin, no older than 16 walked through the flaps and plopped on a chair. The boy had spikey brown hair and an unique scar across the bridge of his nose. He wore a white shirt with that had the kanji for 'dolphin' on the back of it, and a mesh shirt underneath. He wore typically ninja pants and shoes.

The young waitress turned when she heard someone enter. "Hey Iruka!" She greeted cheerily.

"Hey Ayame." He said smiling at her. "Still taking customers tonight?" He asked the girl, presumably Ayame, that was now in front of him.

"Well, those fellas were going to be the last ones," she said motioning towards Naruto and co. one stool away "But, I suppose we could spare a few bowls for our favorite customer." She smiled.

"Thanks a ton Ayame." He said smiling shyly at her. By their encounter, Sai had already concluded there was more between the two than a customer-waitress relationship.

"The usual?" She more said than ask, returning his smile.

"You bet." He said and she nodded, to go put in the order.

"Guys..." Hinata said in barely more than a frantic whisper.

"What?" Naruto asked, rather loudly.

"That guys been staring at us, do you think he knows?" She whispered nervously, the group huddled to keep their words for their own ears.

Before Sai or Naruto could reply, an outside voice interjected.

"Um guys?" It said steadily, but calmly.

The three children heads shot toward the young shinobi.

"Eh?" Naruto asked, about to wing it.

"I'm sorry if I alarmed you, but I don't want to hurt you. My names Iruka, as you may have noticed, I'm a shinobi of the leaf and only want the best for our civilians. Are you guys in the Academy?" He asked, his voice not too childish, but not too stern for speaking with the trio.

"The academy?" Hinata said more to herself "Mrs. Nanny says only good kids can go to the academy." she looked down at her hands nervously.

"Well you guys don't seem to bad." He said smiling warmly at the three "Where are your parents?" He inquired.

"We orphans, don't tell anyone but we ran away shhhs!" Naruto blurted before Sai had time to interject.

"Naruto," Sai sighed "As much as I do appreciate you finally almost perfecting one English sentence, I do believe it would be best for us to have kept mum about our little escape."

"Eh so you guys are run-aways?" Iruka more said than asked "I'm shocked this hasn't been reported yet, this is the kind of job a genin like me would have been assigned." He said proudly.

"I doubt se even mishes us." Naruto said under his breath, but the well trained ninja heard him clearly.

"So," he started, sadly dismissing Naruto's words "you three are a couple of runaway orphans that have no where to live, and no intentions of returning?" He questioned.

"Believe it!" The blond boy grinned.

"Hmm... Well maybe you guys would like to get a good night sleep at my house tonight, and we can sort some things out." He offered.

Joy spread across Hinata and Naruto's faces, but Sai was less than convinced.

"How do we know you aren't a creep or bad guy?" Sai said his tone like a whip.

Ayame chuckled as she sat the food down in front of the children "I don't think you have to worry about that. Iruka wouldn't hurt anybody." She assured them "His heart is so big you could probably build a house in it if you wanted." she chuckled.

Iruka blushed a bit at the compliments, but Sai was even more baffled.

"If this man is as good as you say, why would we want to corrupt such a vital organ?" He asked, 100% serious.

"I-I think she was t-teasing." Hinata said quietly

"Oh." Sai said, his tone unchanged. "Well I suppose the worse that can happen is-" Sai started to ramble, but his Naruto quickly intervened.

"Wut he means is yesh, fank you, Iuka-sama." Naurto said shyly.

Iruka smiled at the boy's shy manner, that was until the blond seen the ramen in front of him and opened his chopsticks. Everyone in a 10-foot radius ducked as broth flung everywhere. The innocent boy raised his head and burped rather loudly just after tossing the chopsticks into the bowl.

Hinata's face deadpanned as she finally got her chopsticks in her hand.

" I didn't know that inhaling food was humanly possible, I will be sure to take not of that for future circumstances." Sai said, not one bit of sarcasm intended.

Ayame sat three bowls of beef ramen in front of Iruka and said "Oh my, what have you got yourself into now."

Iruka just scoffed with a smile.

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**Okie, I'm finally back. Sorry hehe.**

**Anyways, I hope you liked the chapter, I should have another one up in the next few weeks.**

**Yeah, I know I suck at updating.**

**Um anyways, I made some changes to the previous chapters, but they were just fixing some ignored mistakes, nothing worth looking into.**

**I do have reasoning for the animal masks I gave them btw, and the link for the quiz I used is on my profile... somewhere.**

**I'll end this now, thanks for reading, and review please! (:**


	4. Chapter 4: Good Night Iruka

**Oi! Minor rant before I get started here: If you review asking a question, I would appreciate a way of contacting you if the PM method isn't available (ie: a guest, or someone who has blocked private messages), if you can not be PM-ed perhaps an email? Ok. rant done, on with the story (:**

Naruto looked at their new companion, Iruka and studied the man. What had inspired his kindness? Was Sai right and it was all a trick? He looked into his eyes and all doubts he had were gone as he saw the kindness in them.

"Ready to go?" Iruka asked kindly once they all finished their respective noodles.

"Yep!" Naruto cheered, pulling out his hunk of cash and admiring it.

Sai noted the genin's eyes get noticeably bigger. "Naruto, maybe it would be best if you let me calculate the money we leave." The strange boy said after Naruto placed the whole hunk on the table.

"Hehe ok." Naruto said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck in an embarrassed manor.

"How much is the total?" Sai inquired as Ayame came from the kitchen to obtain their dishes.

"$8" she smiling still all while picking up _all _of the empty bowls.

"Thank you for your service." Sai said, leaving a hefty $8 tip. "I left extra money as a token of my appreciation for you staying open extra late to serve my friends in I." He said formally and bowed deeply.

"Arigato." Hinata said with a light blush, too bowing.

A loud burp was heard from Naruto as he leaned back on his stool, his stomach bloated almost too much to remain contained in his white shirt that sported the Konoha symbol.

He _felt _Sai's glared, and quickly turned pink, apologizing and repeating his friends actions.

Iruka couldn't suppress the chuckle. "Let's get going." He said light-heartedly, and left more than enough money on the counter to pay for his food, bidding the girl a kind farewell.

"How long have you two been together?" Sai asked starting his idea of 'small talk'.

Iruka gasped a bit at the subtle question "xcuse me?" He said bewildered, but not rudely.

"You in the waitress, I noticed your... feelings towards her, and I noticed she was the same way with you, so how long have you two been togethter." Sai repeated, sure to make himself clear as if he were talking to a child.

Iruka blushed "Its not like that." He said ruffling his hair with his left hand.

Sai opened his mouth to speak, but Iruka cleared his throat before Sai could respond.

"My apartment is right here." he said leading them up a small set of concrete steps to a building. "I will talk to you guys more tomorrow, tonight, I want you to all three go straight to bed" he said, sounding like a concerned mother, though none of the children even knew what that was. Iruka opened the door and went up a few sets of stairs before arriving at another door.

Naruto was uncharacteristically quiet, as were his companions, due to fatigue. Iruka unlocked the door and led the children into the small apartment. Immediately in the doorway was a living room. Connected to the living room was a kitchen with enough room for necessities, and a small table, through a sliding glass door in the kitchen was what appeared to be a balcony of some sort. There was a hall on the right was between the living room and kitchen, which is where Iruka led them. To the left was a open door which revealed a bathroom, and across from it was a closed door. Iruka opened the door, and revealed a room with a king sized bed, a dresser, and a closet. The room was surprisingly clean for what appeared to be a 16 year old boy.

"Naruto, you and Sai can sleep here tonight." Iruka hesitated hoping he had gotten their names right, for they had barely introduced themselves. "Hinata if it's ok with you, you can sleep on the couch." Iruka said, Hinata nodded in agreement, and Iruka continued "I will sleep on the floor in here.

Naruto and Sai glanced at each other before sharing an affirmative nod.

"We would rather you sleep in your bed, Iruka-san, as for this is your home." Sai said politely, and Naruto agreed.

"Thanks for the offer boys, but I insist, now sleep tight." Iruka said, not giving them a second chance to disagree.

Iruka pulled a few extra blankets and a pillow from the closet and set up a makeshift bed on his floor quietly in the dark, but not before leading Hinata to the couch, and sweetly tucking her in with a plush blanket from his earlier years. By time his bed was arranged, he looked to see Naruto and Sai curled up comfortably on his mattress sleeping soundly. He sighed and with a content smile snuggled under his own blanket, letting his eyelids close, and sleep overtake him.

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**Yeah, yeah, short chappie tonight, just wanted to get something up. Thanks for reading guys, and how about dropping a review :D **

**Ja ne**


	5. Chapter 5: Good Morning Iruka

It was 7 AM when Sai walked into the kitchen, greeting Iruka. The genin acknowledged his greeting while tending to the miso soup on the stove. Not more than 10 minutes later, Hinata groggily stumbled into the kitchen.

"Oi, Iruka-san, Sai-kun." She said softly, pulling a chair from the table and seating herself, her frame tiny in comparison to the chair.

"Hello Hinata. Does Naruto usually sleep in?" Iruka inquired, not wanting to serve breakfast until the blond boy joined them.

"U-usually." She said softly "I-if you want I'll go wake him." She said. Iruka nodded, thanking her.

"N-Naruto?" Hinata said looking at the boy with her unique blood limit eyes. She couldn't help but be shocked at how peaceful the boy looked sleeping soundly on the bed.

"N-Naruto-kun?"She tried again a little louder. Naruto stirred this time, but nonetheless remained asleep. She tucked her toes between the mattress and the bed frame gently, adding about 6 inches to her height, enough to reach over and nudge Naruto.

"Hmm?" He asked, not opening his eyes.

"Naruto-kun, Iruka-san has prepared a breakfast for us." She said, nudging him again.

"Iruka?" Naruto sprung up, the memories of running away from the orphanage coming back to him in a flash. "Otay, thank chu Hina-chan, I be there in a min." He said, rubbing his eyes.

"O-ok." Hinata said and returned to the kitchen.

Naruto flipped the covers, not thinking to make his side of the bed as Sai had done before him, and moved his legs to the side. He stepped out of the bed, but had forgotten how high off the ground it was, and fell straight on to the floor. Naruto groaned, standing up slowly, and trudged into the kitchen, barely looking human.

"Good morning Naruto." Iruka greeted the boy with a smile. "I heard a thump, are you okay?" he asked, setting a plate of miso soup in front of the two children, and one at an empty seat for the blond.

"I'm otay, thanks." Naruto said rubbing his eyes again while dragging his feet towards the chair.

The children started on the miso soup, when Iruka sat a plate of bread in front of them.

They stared at it like it was a dead bird.

"Wut is dat?" Naruto asked after gulping down another spoonful of soup.

"It's called French toast, its a western dish." Iruka said with a warm smile "Try it." he encouraged, cutting a small piece off.

Hesitantly Naruto took the bread from the man in the chair next to him. He placed it in his mouth and chewed cautiously, his expression was unreadable.

And before anyone could even try to stop him he had eaten all 4 pieces.

"Mmmmh" Naruto chomped. "this stuff is AMAZIN" he cheered. "You guys should try it!"

Sai cleared his throat "We would've had you not eaten it all."

Iruka chuckled. "I'll make some more later."

"If you insist." Sai said and continued eating his miso soup.

"So," Iruka started in a more serious, but yet kind tone "do you three go to the Academy?"

"The a-cat-y-me?" Naruto asked, curiosity in his eyes.

"Yes." Iruka said like it should be obvious "The Konoha Ninja Academy."

"Never heard 'bout it." Naruto said, slopping more soup into his mouth.

"That's odd." Iruka said, a thoughtful expression now in place. "Usually kids your age are registered."

"What's the Konoha Ninja Academy?" Hinata asked quietly.

Iruka opened his mouth to speak but Sai interjected. "May I?" He asked.

Iruka nodded.

"The academy is a learning center for children who wish to peruse the life of a shinobi. Upon graduation, the passing student are titled Genin, such as Iruka. The Genin are placed in a team or squad and train and perform missions. With time, a Genin has the opportunity to improve his/her rank by taking the Chuunin Examinations." Sai said smartly.

"Very good Sai!" Iruka said shocked at how smart the boy was. "I'm going to be taking the Chuunin exams myself too!" He said cheerfully.

"So how you get in the academy?" Naruto asked, trying to pull off a thoughtful face.

"Well its a complicated process. Why?" Iruka asked.

"Cause I wanna be ninja!" Naruto said as if it were obvious.

"Now Naruto," Iruka went into shinobi mode "being a shinobi of the leaf is rigorous, and hard work. To succeed you must always try your best, are you willing to do that?"

"I am, believe it!" The boy shouted clearly.

"Um... Iruka-san..." Hinata chimed. "I too would like to be a shinobi..." She said, a blush evident.

"Well Hinata, a girl shinobi is called a kunoichi." Iruka said with a smile.

"Then I-I want to become a kunoichi!" Hinata said, a thrill in her voice that was never there before.

"I too would like to be a kunoichi." Sai said coolly. It was when Iruka pointed out that the boy had just asked to be a female that Sai blushed, correcting himself.

"Well if you three truly want to be Konoha ninjas, I suppose I can sign you guys. But you'll need somewhere to live." Iruka said thoughtfully.

The idea of staying with Iruka seemed obvious, but Sai wasn't about to suggest it and wear out their welcome.

"When you gonna sign us up, Huh 'Ruka?!" Naruto cheered.

"Well, I am going to sign up for the Chuunin exams later today, so I suppose then. I plan to be a teacher at the academy once I make Chuunin." He said proudly.

"Thank you, Iruka-san." Sai said with a could-be-genuine smile.

"Mhm." Was all the Genin said. "I need someone to watch you guys while I'm out today, I have some easy missions to do with my Sensei and team." He briefed.

"We are not your responsibility, Iruka-san." Sai said politely. "Though we do appreciate you doing this much for us, it is time that we relieve you of the burden." He said, getting up from his seat.

"Sai." Iruka said firmly, causing the boy to freeze in his tracks. "I insist. At least until we find you guys somewhere else to stay, I would be glad to take care of you all. But when I get home tomorrow it is imperative that we report what you three have done to Hokage-sama. He will be concerned." Iruka said thinking out loud.

"But 'Ruka, he will make us go to Mrs. Nanny." Naruto said, his crystal clear eyes turning a darker shade of blue

"I doubt it. Have you ever met Hokage-sama?" Iruka inquired.

The trio shook their heads.

"I will have a friend come over and watch you three while I'm away. Maybe she'll be kind enough to teach you guys a few things." He smiled, having a particular Chuunin in mind.

Hinata seemed to be happier when he said 'she', Sai seemed to be happier when he said 'teach' and Naruto just seemed to be happier when he sat more food on the table.

* * *

Kurenai Yuhi was a girl of reason. That's why when Iruka asked her to babysit 3 runaway orphans, she couldn't help but check her friend for a fever.

"I'm serious Kurenai, please." Iruka pleaded with his older female friend.

Kurenai sighed. She didn't have a problem with kids, she just didn't think this was a good idea. "Fine." she finally said.

Iruka almost hugged her. "I'll be back around 9, I'll bring dinner." He smiled.

Kurenai nodded. "Do they know basic jutsu?" she asked. If she was going to teach them, she needed to know where to start.

"I... I'm not sure..." Iruka said just now realizing that he had no idea about the extent of the trio's powers.

"Do you know anything about them?" She asked, her voice laced with annoyance.

Silence. "Well, not exactly..." Iruka finally said.

"Iruka! You could've gotten killed." she said, disappointed in her junior friend. "How did you even know they were kids?" she demanded.

"He's the Kyuubi's jinchuuriki." Iruka finally said.

Kurenai couldn't help the small gasp that came from inside her.

The Kyuubi had taken the lives of Iruka's parents when he was just a little boy. Iruka was an orphan because of Kitsune no Kyuubi but if you applied logic, so was Naruto. Iruka didn't despise the demon's container as much as some of the other villagers, but he wasn't known to be a fan of the boy either

"I see." was all that Kurenai could say.

Iruka nodded, and there was a brief uncomfortable silence. "Well, I must be going, hopefully they haven't broken everything yet!" Iruka laughed thinking about how it might not have been the best idea to leave the three children alone in his apartment while he met his friend outside of the building.

Kurenai just nodded and walked into the building, wondering what she had just gotten herself into.

* * *

**Mhm kay, another week, another chapter. I hope I can keep being consistent... I doubt it though.**

**Shout out to my beta Seigi no Chikara!**

**And, review, please, I NEED some feedback...**

**Please *best puppy dog face ever***


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